Welsh Trad Music | A Beginner's Guide

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Have you ever wondered why there seems to be loads of Irish and Scottish music, but nothing from Wales?

Did you know that Deck the halls is a Welsh tune? And did you know that it comes from an ancient Celtic bardic tradition? In fact we have a whole ton of music, songs, and traditions that have ancient origins, including the Mari Lwyd and the world’s oldest harp music.

In this video we'll be looking at the past, present and future of traditional music and customs in Wales, and where you can find the good stuff. #Bardcore

A very special thanks to Phyllis Kinney, Harri Llewelyn, Gerard Kilbride, Gwen Màiri, Jordan Price Williams, Welsh Whisperer, Calan, Angharad Jenkins, Patrick Rimes, Gwilym Bowen Rhys, and Emily Jane Coupland for your knowledge and your support!

Ffwrnes Gerdd clips by Gethin Scourfield-Gerard KilBride for S4C

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Resources

Welsh music playlist:

Ffwrnes Gerdd - YouTube playlist of Welsh Trad music

Welsh Traditional Music (Paperback) by Phyllis Kinney

Welsh Fiddle Tunes 97 Traditional Pieces for Violin

Trac Cymru (Tunes, songs, and information of all things Welsh trad)

The Welsh Folk-Song Society

List of traditions and other Welsh things mentioned in the video (for spelling and Googling!):

Cerdd Dant, Penillion, Cynghanedd, The Robert ap Huw Manuscript, the Mari Lwyd, Pwnco, Canu Pwnc, Rhiannon, the Mabinogion, Plygain, Triban (Tribannau), Iolo Morganwg, Teulu Abram Wood, Howel Wood, Brad y Llyfrau Gleision (Treachery of the Blue Books), Meredydd Evans.

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Video Clip Credits

MARI LWYD - Short Documentary
Jordan M Paterson

Liam Dutton nails pronouncing Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Channel 4 News

Fitz - Avanc
Trac Cymru

Delyth & Angharad : Llinyn Arian
Delyth & Angharad

Gwerin Gwallgo 2020 folk course for young people
Trac Cymru

CALAN Bid D ft CALAN
CalanFolkVevo

Mari Lwyd at The Brit pub Cwmavon - Buskermove
Marc Jones

Plygain Ar fore dydd Nadolig
Trac Cymru

Cadw Castles in the Snow - Cestyll Cadw yn yr Eira
Cadw Wales

Ruth Lewis wax cylinders

Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Welsh anthem) by the London Welsh Rugby Club Choir
1973swampy

Ocean Sea Waves | Drone Aerial View | Free stock footage | Free HD Videos - no copyright
Free HD videos - no copyright

Gwilym Bowen Rhys - Byta Dy Bres
Lwp

Ffwrnes gerdd: Angharad Jenkins a Patric Rimes
S4C

Ceri Rhys Matthews
nolittleboy

Introduction to the pibgorn by Stephen Rees
Evansakes

Conset Y Pipar Coch Llio Rhydderch, Triple Harpist
Alchemy Electronic Arts

Ffwrnes gerdd: Gwilym Bowen
S4C

Ffwrnes gerdd: Oliver Wilson-Dickson
S4C

CALAN - #DeportationSelfie​ ft. CALAN
CalanFolkVEVO

Enillydd Cadair #Steddfod2018
S4C

CALAN - Bailey's
CalanFolkVevo

FILIVE 2019 - Rediffusion NO GOOD BOYO - Festival Interceltique de Lorient
France 3 Bretagne

Unawd Cerdd Dant Bl 12 hyd at 21 oed #GCD2018
S4C

Culture and music at the Eisteddfod Festival
Quality Cottages

Music from the Robert ap Huw Manuscript (Paul Dooley)
Gammaldans

Plygain Hen Fethel
Heno S4C

VRï - Aros Mae'r Mynyddau Mawr
Heno S4C

Serenading the cattle with my trombone (Lorde - Royals)
Farmer Derek

ALAW - Pan O'wn Y Gwanwyn Welsh Music Video
acousticfiddle

[nodgelyobo]

I'm Scottish/Irish....and it's about time Wales started showing itself on the trad music are all Celts ..keep up good work

[Kobzar]

The story told a bit before 13:50 is fabulous: the Welsh peasants did not hit their oxen from behind, to make them walk, but stood in front of them, sang, and the oxen followed. When the Welsh sold their oxen to the English, and the latter complained that the oxen did not walk, the Welsh said: "–That is because you don't sing." Great! Thank you for sharing this video, keep up the good work, and warm greetings from Spain!

[Pastaislife]

I’m from South Wales and honestly it feels like I’ve been brain washed my whole life to think my culture and language are dying/don’t matter. I’ve recently started taking an interest in the history of wales because we aren’t taught anything it’s very heavily English influenced. It’s a shame because it’s so rich in culture and history. We have the independent movement picking up steam which is putting people back in touch with their roots. I have a long line on one side of welsh ancestors, a lot of other ancestors were from the West Country and moved to wales. It’s sad we’re taught not to care, I did welsh in school but I’m going to teach my self my language hopefully!

[HenrikBergpianorganist]

I LOVE WALES, THE WELSH LANGUAGE AND EVERYTHING WELSH. For no obvious reason. It's a mystery. (I'm Swedish!)

[ricemango]

Good to see the other Celtic nations getting some of their time in the limelight, respect from Ireland, na Ceiltigh abú!

[messynessiewood]

Thank you for mentioning the Welsh Gypsies, Teulu Abram Wood. I'm very proud to be a descendant and harp player.

[knownothing]

The deeper I dive into the Cymru rabbit hole, the more I like it!

[scathatch]

I love Wales. Often go there in my dreams. Its a special place.

[harryfurphy]

I never knew that the Harp was such a cherished and beloved instrument in Welsh music. As a trad Irish fiddle player form Co' Down in the North of Ireland I was always lead to believe that the Harp was characteristically and culturally Irish since it is a national symbol. After watching this I believe I can learn a lot form the Welsh and I now have a tremendous respect for this music and culture. There is such beauty, harmony, joy, strength and resilience in this music that even rivals my own beloved Irish music and culture. This video has been a real treat to watch. thank you so much for sharing this.

[heeroyui]

As a fan of Irish and Scottish trad, this is highly educational! Thanks very much. Hope to visit one day.

[lukej.hughes]

This makes me so proud to be Welsh! I have been a violinist for 15 years and have wondered why wales seems to be left our of the Celtic music realm. No more!

[ariellelionessofYah]

Wow! super happy to have Welsh heritage! Just learned more about Wales in 23 and a half minutes than I have in my entire life! Thanks! Totally want to learn some Welsh tunes now😊

[jilata]

In love with welsh music via Ar Log since the 80´s !!

[walterrusty]

Thank you from Santa Clarita California USA

[Falibron]

Had a DNA test done awhile back and found out that I was a tad Welsh. (Somewhere along the line, I had an ancestor that lived near Castell Aberlleiniog.) However, my knowledge of Welsh history is very scant.

This video was very informative and fantastic to watch!

[RobertFallon]

What a gem of a video and a service to Wales and to music this is! Just brilliant. Speaking as a PhD in music history who, though mainly Irish-American, has some family ties to the south of Wales, and who attended a Welsh music festival in California my uncle helped to organize. 👏🏼

[linusorri]

Icelandic has a similar thing where the word kvæði means poetry and the musical performance of poetry. Really interesting stuff.

[esmeraldagreen]

In Sardinia, even today folk poets battle each other creating verses on the spot and answering each other lines. Interestingly Sardinians are partly of Celtic descent.

[marceeludlow]

Wow! Thank you so much! I thoroughly enjoyed this. I’m an American with welsh roots from the 1850s. I tried to learn the language in college and have so much respect for the welsh musical tradition

[joffa]

Finally, find some stuff on Celtic Welsh. I was wondering myself why so much on Ireland and Scotland but almost nothing on Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿